Falling from the clouds
by Mina Soliman
Summary: Ever wondered what happened with Luke during those months after Bespin? Well, I did, so this came out. Watch Luke struggle with his recent experiences as he learns more about his father... with a little help from an old friend.
1. Chapter 1

_' **No, I am your father '**_

The scene replayed itself in his mind for what seemed like the millionth time as he sat cross-legged on his bed. Centering himself wihin the force remained difficult. Despite Yoda's meditation techniques, repelling those memories remained impossible. Even after three months, the duel on Bespin continued to haunt him.

Everything about those memories hurt; he was brutally beaten by an opponent far superior to himself, he was mutilated in the most horrifying way, he tumbled down a shaft, leading to a near death experience... All of those memories were traumatizing, but they were not the worst.

The fact that he'd failed his best friend was more painful than any of those. So was the fact that Leia was probably worrying herself to death right now, with only her duties to the alliance to keep her sane. First Alderaan, now with Han, he wasn't sure if she could handle such loss again.

He knew exactly how she felt; Everyday, a thousand bad scenarios would play in his mind. Almost every part of him wanted to jump into his X-Wing and join the search for Han, but he was determined not to make that mistake again. Jumping without thinking when his friends were in danger was exactly the reason for this mess.

He didn't regret leaving his training, he simply couldn't. When he was a kid, His aunt would tell him that the biggest problem in the universe was that some people refused to be kind to those in need. Apparently, it was something she'd learned from his grandmother. Yoda had wanted him to do just that, to help the entire galaxy by not taking such risk, but the price was too much. How can one have compassion for those he didn't know if he couldn't have compassion for his own loved ones?

But he still made a terrible mistake; he'd jumped in, lightsaber blazing, into a duel he knew, deep down, that he had no chance to win. He just wished that, by some miracle, he could've managed to evade Vader or somehow defeated him with his few months of training. Perhaps Han would've been here right now had he contacted the fleet to coordinate a rescue mission. His only relief was that no rebel lives were lost on such a mission, but it wasn't of much comfort.

No, he wouldn't rush in this time, the bounty on Han was ' alive only ' so Fett had every reason to keep him alive. Chewbacca's contacts on Tatooine confirmed that 'Slave I ' hasn't been spotted near Jabba's palace in months. Jabba was Fett's main employer but the bounty hunter did work for many others, so they could only assume thathe got derailed somehow. The only positive thing was that the delay gave them time to prepare.

Which was why he was using every available minute to hone his skills in preparation for the what's to come. On Dagoba, Yoda had demonstrated some meditation techniques to strengthen his connection to the force, taught him exercises to increase his mind's dexterity in order to hone his telekinetic powers and instructed him on connecting with the minds of the swamp beasts and reading their emotions. These exercises were currently paying off as evident by the Astromech, the small pile of stones and the food container that were currently floating around in his room.

Thinking about Yoda however, brought feelings of uncertainty and unsure anger. Ever since Bespin, he'd been thinking long and hard about what Vader had said. The logical thing to assume was that Vader had lied, had only wanted to lure him over so he could use him against the Emperor, but, somehow, the force was singing that it's the truth.

There was also the matter of something else; the immense sorrow that had radiated from Vader before the jump to hyperspace. It reminded him of the sorrow and longing he could sense coming from Yoda every time they discussed the clone wars or the Jedi of old, he remembered practically feeling the weight of loss the ancient grandmaster had to endure.

"Luke...Son "

There it was again, the baritone of Darth Vader's voice booming in his head. Apparently, some sort of mental link was formed between them on Bespin, which only served to make him more and more uncertain. His mental shields were holding, which explained why the rebellion still had a fleet, but Vader's emotions were seeping through: sorrow, longing...remorse? and something he could never imagine coming from Vader. He had only felt it from a mother dragonsnake protecting it's children from the rain. Was it possible to bleed false emotions into the force? Yoda certainly never mentioned it during those months on Dagoba.

" Son...Please "

Placing his face in the palm of his left hand - his flesh hand - and releasing a tired sigh, he laid down the floating items as Artoo beeped in concern.

" I just don't know what to do anymore, buddy..." Why would Yoda and Obi-Wan lie about something like that? Were they trying to shield him from the pain? The horrible pain he'd felt as he hung above the reactor shaft? Or were they afraid that he might have hesitated to kill his own father?

Could he kill his own father? What would Darth Vader being his father change? He was still responsible for who knows how many deaths. The Rebels on Scarif and Vorgas Vas, the Plasma Devils...he killed them among countless others, he tortured Han on cloud city and Leia aboard the Death Star. He betrayed the Jedi and brought death and pain to so many people.

But how much better was he? He had killed so many that day in the death star's trenches, not to mention all the pilots and stormtroopers he engaged in combat. He knew there was no other way, the Empire would never compromise or stop committing atrocities throughout the galaxy. They were fighting for freedom, to protect the innocent, but that somehow didn't make him feel much better.

He had told someone dear to him once that he wished to know how exactly was Darth Vader ' seduced 'bythe dark side ."It's almost like he didn't have a choice." he recalled saying. Right now, he'd give anything forananswer. For, suddenly, Vader no longer seemed like someone whorelishes inhis job.

Realizing that his train of thought was leading him nowhere productive, he reached out with the force and a lightsaber flew into his palm. He got up, determined to bury himself in training for now.

Author's note: The Lightsaber Luke grabs near the end isn't his green lightsaber or his father's. You will know - or be reminded - where it came from next Chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

Luke reached out behind the sparring droid's head and flipped the switch. The droid's singular eye lit up, indicating it's activation. " Greetings Padawan Skywalker. Shall we continue practicing the techniques of countering Djem So? "

" Yeah, Thank you TeeEx "

TX-1 was a Jedi training droid used to instruct padawans in the forms of lightsaber combat. Sana Starros, Their smuggler friend, had given it to Luke as a gift after his return from Bespin to help him cope with Han's status. He couldn't recall exactly how she got it, but she apparently bought it from someone who bought it from a collector who bought it from someone who was part of a raid on some imperial warehouse.

" May I suggest practicing against Ataru? You seem to focus excessively on countering Djem So. Your Opponents can and most probably will use more than just one form . "

" Afraid that'll have to wait TeeEx. Djem So please... Level five " Ataru relied on acrobatics which weren't his opponents greatest strength anyway. Djem So on the other hand...

" Level five? But you're hardly past level three! I don't recommend such a leap. It'd be better if you took your time in order not to exert yourself. "

" Unfortunately, That's not something we can afford... Level five, TeeEx " Luke said grimly as he activated his lightsaber in training mode and took the opening stance of Djem So. _' Talk about fighting fire with fire '_ he thought wryly.

The sparring droid activated it's built in training saber and quickly landed a heavy blow that Luke blocked with relative ease. Luke then proceeded to engage the droid in a flurry of blocks, parries and counter attacks, sinking into the force and allowing it to partially guide his movements the way it did when he was flying his X-Wing.

The training was going well, but even after all these sessions, something felt off. The lightsaber in his hand felt awkward and unfamiliar...like a constant reminder that it wasn't his own. For the past few years, his father's lightsaber was his most prized possession, his only link to the mysterious hero who inspired him to become a jedi in the first place. Now, he didn't really want to know what sort of lives it once took.

The blue-bladed lightsaber he was currently using was one of the lightsabers they'd obtained from Grakkus the Hutt's collection on Nar Shadda. Luke'd chosen to keep one in his X-Wing in case of emergencies, which proved useful after Hoth as Master Yoda didn't have a lightsaber to use for training him.

 _' Size matters not '_. Indeed, Yoda's size managed to hide how incredibly powerful he was from the untrained force-sensitive. Luke remembered how Yoda'd felt halfway into his training; instead of just another living presence, Yoda was like a beacon, a blazing sun in the force. He'd amazed Luke when he lifted the X-Wing from the swamp, but Yoda's strength was more than matched by his skill, he could wield Luke's spare saber with his mind better than Luke could wield his own with his hands. During their combat sessions, He would levitate the spare saber a little higher than Luke would hold his own - probably because he realized Luke'd mostly be facing opponents taller than himself - and engage his padawan in combat with dazzling speed and skill. Luke'd already been taught the basics of combat by Kreel and the late Thane Markona, but Yoda had shown him how little he knew when he walked him through the jedi forms.

One particular training session stood out among all others. It was one of the early ones after Yoda'd finished showing him the basics of each form and began to focus on Djem So, both the applying and the countering of it.

 _" hmm...Suits you Djem So does, for a strong form it is. Of converting defense into offence it is capable. Help you against Vader it will. "_

 _" Was Djem So my father's form ? "_

 _Yoda seemed to hesitate but only for a few moments. " Strong your father was with Djem So. One of the best to ever wield it he was. A powerful Jedi he became, brave as well, but much anger was in him and follow the path strictly he never did. Put him in many dangers this often did. "_

What sort of danger? The danger of the dark side? He recalled sensing the tiniest spark of fear when Yoda had said those words, was he afraid he might turn out like his father?

His uncle had often said he was much like his father, and he'd never seemed particularly happy about it. Did he know what his father became? What did old Ben tell his aunt and uncle? He had little doubt that Ben Kenobi was a good man, but if what Vader had told him was true, Ben had no problem telling lies if it served his ends or if he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth.

Was Vader really his father? Could he ever turn into _that_? But he was so different, and everything he learned about his father so far told him he was different as well. His father had saved the Jedi Huulik's life during the clone wars, he was a war hero, the best star pilot in the galaxy, a good friend and a good man.

 _' But it's easy to stop being a good man '_ he thought as he recalled his words to Ubin on Jedha. What was it that had caused Vader to stop being a good man? the dark side? The dark side locus may have affected chulco's mind, but it couldn't do anything to a force-sensitive like Luke. Surely the dark side alone couldn't have been enough to corrupt someone as strong as Vader. There had to be more to it than that.

His train of thoughts, however, managed to distract him enough for TX-1 to disarm him with a complicated maneuver, sending his lightsaber flying to the corner of the spacious storing room Luke used for training sessions.

" well, considering the sudden leap in difficulty, I would say that was quite exceptional. However, you will obviously need to improve your techniques before moving to the next level. I have detected several errors that must be brought to your attention, as usual. "

Before the droid could begin replaying the duel, however, The session was interrupted by the sound of the door being opened. A man dressed in a soldier's armor walked in. " Er, excuse me, sir. I am looking for a commander Skywalker. "

The man was robust and well-built, with tanned skin, brown eyes and a white full beard. He seemed to be in his sixties but healthy for his age. The badge on his breastplate marked him as a corporeal and he seemed to be eyeing Luke with well-hidden astonishment and curiosity.

" Yeah, that would be me. You can deactivate now TeeEx, we will get back to it later. Is someone looking for me corporeal? "

" No, sir. I just wanted...to meet you personally. You see, I was recently transferred here from General Syndulla's ship to train General Madine's commandos and when I heard about you, I had to come see you myself. I, er, heared you were related to General Anakin Skywalker of the clone wars. "

That managed to grab Luke's attention, so did the way the man's eyes lingered for the briefest moment on the lightsaber lying in the corner. " I am...he was my father. Yo-you knew him? "

" Why, of course I did, sir! I was second-in-command of General Skywalker's battalion. Captain CT-7567 of the 501st, but you can call me Rex. " The man said cheerfully as he extended his arm for a handshake.

Luke's eyes narrowed as he shook his hand, until something clicked in his mind " You're a clone... "

" Yes, Sir. One of the original ones from Kamino. I have to say, sir, it's quite an honor to meet you "

" Please, the honor is all mine! " Luke said with barely controlled excitement. A real clone wars veteran, and his father's second-in-command no less! " So, you knew my father well? "

" We all did, sir, He was our general. I have to say, your relationship came across as a surprise to me given the fact that Generals had a policy regarding such relationships. "

" Yeah, I've heard. " Luke said with a small frown " Unfortunately, I never really knew my father, I was...raised by his relatives, so I don't really know more than you do. "

" I'm...sorry to hear that sir. Your father was an incredible man. I owe more than my life to him. "

" He was? "

" Why, of course, sir! He was a brilliantly creative strategist. His...unorthodox tactics would often cause poor Admiral Yularen to have a fit, but I'll be damned if they didn't work. More so, He cared about his soliders. He was one of the few people who treated each one of us like a real, independent being rather than a property of the Republic. Why, he'd often risk his life just to save one of us. We were willing to follow him to the end of the line. "

 _" Vader is worshipped by the stormtrooper corps "_ A voice said in the back of his head. It sounded a lot like General Cracken during one of Luke's earlier briefings with the Rebellion.

" He taught me that a true leader leads from the front. He never sat back and let his soliders do the dirty work. "

 _" Whether by himself or in his TIE fighter, Vader is at the front of every battle. Rumor has it he doesn't even have an office. He isn't the sort of man to sit behind a desk._ "

The voice continued as Luke's expression began to show distress.

" Er, something wrong, sir? "

" No, I just...remembered something. " Luke said as he composed himself and put a small smile on his face. " So...how many stories about my father can you tell me, Captain? "

Rex's mouth broke into a grin. " Well, sir, how many do you have the time to hear? "


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter** **Three**

Pain

At one time, it was unwelcome, as was the case with most people. Now, it was the closest thing he had to an old friend. For the Sith, Pain was a tool, one used to hone one's anger and connection to the dark side. One of the few things from his former life that he didn't try to forget was the pain he'd felt near the lava rivers of Mustafar, The pain he'd felt when his old lightsaber touched his shoulder on Bespin was the closest thing to it since then. It'd fueled his anger and aggression, those weapons that once allowed him to defeat an army on Vorgas Vas.

And it had cost him dearly.

He hadn't planned what happened next, but the boy's defiance needed to be broken. He had thought that, once the boy was helpless and the offer was made, his son would have to accept if only to ensure his survival. He would then have the time to make him see through the lies of the rebel terrorists and his accursed master.

He was wrong.

The boy's reaction was...unexpected. It wasn't merely a mixture of shock and fear, the boy was actually in great pain and utter denial, like something so deeply rooted had been shaken. He had reeked of fear and hatred during the duel, but his control over them was impressive, to say the least; Had he been a padawan in the old order, he would've made his master proud.

But even more impressive was his defiance, the defiance that was painted on his face before he...

And he had simply stood there in utter shock. He hadn't even tried to levitate him with the force. For a moment, he was simply gripped by fear and despair. He'd raced away from the reactor shaft like a madman, keeping his senses focused on his son's presence. He'd sensed him reaching out to someone with the force and relief had washed over him when the boy boarded the accursed ship. It didn't last however, the fear and despair had returned when it became clear that the damned vessel was going to escape his forces once again.

 _" Father "_ Was the boy's simple response to the mind probe. The word had been...unexpected. He'd found himself surprised at how gentle his own voice seemed in his head, He was even more surprised at the fact that he had felt no anger, only vaguely familiar sorrow and loss.

It was unsettling

He was a dark lord of the sith, he couldn't afford such feelings. The boy had to see things for what they were. The Rebel terrorists told him they were fighting for freedom, the very freedom that once tore the galaxy apart, He didn't understand that strength and fear were essential for obtaining order and peace.

Unfortunately, the boy's mental shields were sealing off his thoughts too well, So the rebels continued to evade them. However, the boy's emotions were still readable: the anger and hatred he'd read on Bespin were gone, in their place were confusion, worry, determination and...compassion? Did the boy actually...? No, that wasn't possible, not after everything that happened.

Over the years, He'd mastered the ability to bury the memories of his former life, although, it never ceased to require much effort. Ever since Bespin, however, it was becoming more and more difficult. His mind kept drifting to the image of his son's horrified face, the last time he had seen that look of fear and denial, it was on a similar face near a nubian ship.

It was just like his old master to feed his son lies and half-truths to keep him away from his own father, from his rightful place as a ruler. Anger boiled in his mind as he thought of his former master, how he'd claimed to love him while he left him to burn and die. Had he loved him he would've killed him there and spared him the pain and this wretched existence, a life or servitude and survival, He would've spared him becoming this...

Anger was quickly joined by concern, however. He needed to find the boy soon. Otherwise, his wretched master would get his hands on him first and start grooming him to be his next apprentice, to be his father's executioner. Rage boiled within him at the thought. He wouldn't allow it to happen. he would find his son, and together they would prepare to overthrow his master, the man who'd ruined his life among countless others, The man who brought so much suffering.

But could the boy be turned? Could he join him after everything? everyone? The younglings, the villagers on Ryloth..., Even the Jedi, He had killed them ruthlessly, He hadn't wanted to but he did what he had to do. No, he was a dark lord of the sith, he didn't drown in guilt over those weaker than him. His son would see reason, he had to.

The commlink on his meditation pod went off, breaking his train of thoughts. With a press of a button, his helmet and mask were assembled over his head. Another button and the voice of Admiral Piett filled the pod

" My Lord? " the man was a comptent officer and had significant control over his fear. It was no coincidence he managed to stay in his position since Hoth.

" I asked not to be disturbed Admiral. This had better be Important "

" My apologies, Lord Vader. But the Emperor demands you to make contact immediately "

Now? That wasn't expected. He had to be careful not to betray anything. " Very well, Admiral. Have the audience chamber prepared, I'll be there shortly. "

With the audience chamber prepared and empty, Vader knelt on one knee as he waited for his master to accept contact. A few moments too late, the enlarged, holographic projection of the Emperor's bust appeared, it's presence filling the room.

" What is thy bidding, my master? " Vader asked, hating the words even more than usual.

" Rise, my friend. How is your hunt for the rebellion going? " the Emperor asked with a voice as cold as nights on Hoth.

Vader rose to his full height with surprising grace " The Intel we have indicates they are somewhere in the outer rim between Batonn and Arkanis sectors. Zastiga and Denash are possible locations. I request permission to pursue, my master. "

" There will be no need, my friend. The pathetic Rebellion's final defeat is at hand. I have...something in store for them. A more important subject is our young Skywalker. As of late, He has been growing stronger every day. " Vader felt a pang of pride and fear as his master continued. " Should he be turned, he would be most invaluable. However, should he refuse...I expect you to do what serves us best. "

Vader's heart convulsed, although his respirator betrayed nothing. His master expected him to kill his own son? No...it would never come to that, he would make sure.

" Now, my friend, I need you to head to the forest moon of Endor to prepare the final stages of the new death star's construction. I shall soon follow, and the rebellion shall meet it's end "

Vader knew that his master merely wanted to end his search for the boy so he could find him himself. Now, he could only hope that rebellion would continue to evade them until the death star was completed.

" As you wish, my master " he said as the communication ended.

Yes. He would finish his master's new monstrosity. Then, he would find his son and overthrow his master.

Afterall, overthrowing him was all that mattered, Right?

 **Author's note: Hello there! Just wanted to thank everyone who left me encouragement be it a Kudos, a favourite, a follow or a review. You guys make my day and keep me going. If you are enjoying this story then please let me know, it will mean the world to me!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Anchorhead was just the way he remembered it: the plain stone domes, the mouse droids constantly sweeping the sand brought by the wind off the street, the merchants advertising their goods using the old-fashioned way of shouting and the scorching heat of the twin suns. That wasn't much of a surprise. Tatooine, unlike it's sand, was rigid and unmoving. Jabba's bounty hunters and thugs were still the main law enforcers around and the small imperial garrison seemed to exist only to keep an eye out on Jabba's errands.

Jabba...He forced himself to ignore the surge of anger that came with the Hutt's name. The Hutt who made life on a Tatooine a hell for so long, the same Hutt who now had his best friend as a part of his Palace's décor. Because of his 'business' on the planet, the moisture farmers and (some) merchants were the only honest people on Tatooine. Aside from them, only smugglers, bounty hunters, mercenaries and all sorts of outlaws existed on the dust ball.

Growing up, his uncle would often try to shelter him from the horrors of his home planet, but he'd still heard enough about what happened to the moisture farmers who couldn't pay Jabba's taxes or the slaves at his palace. Still, he was no executioner, he would offer Jabba a chance and another but if they had to fight to defend themselves, he probably wouldn't feel much remorse over the Hutt or his men. Hopefully, If it came down to that, he would be able to deliver on his promises to the Hutt and things on Tatooine would get a little better.

Another place that hadn't changed was Tosche station. A pile of Junk lay around near the place in which he wasted so many hours as a teenager and a few broken-down landspeeders were parked near it, presumably for Fixer to repair.

Walking into the place and removing the hood of his black cloak, he noticed that the place was mostly empty aside from the young woman standing behind the counter who turned to see him when she heard the door open.

" Hello. How can I hel...Luke? "

He gave her a small smile " Hello, Camie "

" Erm, Fixer " she called without taking her eyes off him, her expression betraying surprise, curiosity and weariness " I think you should come out here, there is someone you might want to meet "

" Who is it dea..." said the young man as he walked in, his eyes falling on the once-farmboy. For a moment he stood speechless " Luke? Wow. You sure took your time, Wormie "

" It's good to see you too, Laze " Luke said with a small, wry smile as he took a seat in front of the counter " So, how is the gang? "

" Well, you know, Deak went off-world to that uncle he always talked about and Windy moved over to Mos Espa. It's just me and Camie now around here. We tied the knot last season "

" Congratulations, guys " he said with a wide, genuine smile. Despite the fact that he was once smitten on the young woman like everyone else in town " What about Gragas? Did he open that shop he always wanted? "

" Gragas is gone Luke " Camie said with a hint of grief " He was...shot by a bounty hunter in Mos Eisley a couple of years ago "

Fixer snorted " I don't know what he did to earn Fett's ire, but knowing the bounty hunter, it probably wasn't much "

A horrible feeling suddenly began to creep into Luke's heart " Did you say Fett? "

" Yeah, Jabba's top dog, remember him? Apparently, he was looking for someone around here. Shot a couple of farmers and some Rodians that day. "

'This couldn't be happening' He thought, horror and guilt settling into his heart, although his face betrayed little of it. He used an exercise he'd learned from Yoda and composed himself " I am...sorry " he said to noone in particular.

" It's alright, Luke " Camie said sympathetically " It's just how Tatooine is "

" You know, after you left, they found the graves at the farm. " Fixer said " A lot of theories floated around for a while. Most said it was Tusken Raiders, some said old Owen Lars got under Jabba's skin somehow, others said it was..."

" Me... " he completed the theory they couldn't.

" We know it wasn't you Luke " Camie was quick to try and amend " We know you well enough to know you'd never do that "

" Anyway, They only found two graves and we later learned you went to Mos Eisly with that old wizard Kenobi and got passage off-world the next day. Do you have any idea what happened? " Fixer said.

Grief over the people who raised him began to rise again to the surface, it was a familier grief, one he would never quite lose. " It was the Empire. We were somehow unlucky enough to get our hands on something they wanted and didn't want anyone else to see. I am...only alive because I was visiting Ben Kenobi at the time. After I came back and buried Owen and Beru, Ben and I decided to take what we had to the Rebellion "

" You went to the Rebellion? Like Biggs? " Fixer asked, obviously surprised.

" You know about Biggs? " Luke asked. As far as he knew, Biggs hadn't told anyone else he was defecting that day.

" Well, yeah. The Darklighters got something from the empire saying he deserted during his leave when he last saw us here. They got a condolence letter from the rebellion later saying he fell during the huge battle against the Empire's death star " Fixer said.

Luke smiled bitterly " We only sent thirty starfighters, I wouldn't call it huge "

" You were there? " Camie asked with a frown. Luke only nodded and gave a sad smile

" Biggs and I were assigned to the same squadron. We did the third attack run, he was my wingman. He told me we would catch up later. Unfortunately, we never got to do that "

" Luke...I am so sorry " Camie said sympathetically.

Fixer gave a sarcastic chuckle " It's a cruel galaxy isn't it? I am sorry, old pal. I know how much you guys meant to eachother "

" Thanks, Guys " Luke said " Say, Fix, You wouldn't happen to have some small modulation circuits and an energy gate around here, would you? "

" Yeah, I think I have what you need. You working on something? "

" I guess you can say that. "

The ride in the borrowed landspeeder was smooth and uneventful. Apparently, Fixer hadn't lost his touch over the years. As he stood in front of old Ben's hut, he was assaulted by all sorts of emotional residues.

Longing, loneliness, mourning and hope. No doubt from Ben Kenobi during his years in exile.

Fear, greed and determination, the last one from two different people. No doubt from his confrontation with Fett last time.

And traces of the cold sun that was Darth Vader.

The last one sent a shiver up his spine. For a long time, he thought Vader's hunt for him was simply out of anger for his defeat at the death star. Now, he knew it was an obsession that had a very different cause.

He sunk deeper into the force, reading it's flow, trying to find anything of use. There was something alright, it wasn't a living presence but it was...alive somehow? But very muted, as if it was sleeping.

He followed the trail into the hut. He removed a small rug and beneath it, to his surprise was a single tile in the solid stone floor.

Removing the large, heavy tile, He found a small satchel and inside it were parts for a lightsaber casing very similar to old Ben's and a small, green crystal.

He smiled to himself. He didn't know much about the Jedi, but he knew that building one's lightsaber was a rite of passage to them. He already had the blade emitter shroud, the emitter matrix, an activator and the instructions in Ben's journal. With the parts he got from fixer and these, all he needed now was a quiet place that wasn't susceptible to attacks by tusken raiders to work inside.

The old cave near Jabba's palace should be good.

The parts lay at his feet as he sat cross-legged on the ground. The plan was simple: Lando had already infiltrated the place as a guard a few weeks ago, the droid's would offer the bargain and, should Jabba accept, Lando would sneak them out after they got Han under the pretense of taking them for repairs at Anchorhead.

But Jabba would never accept, so Leia and Chewbacca would probably have to infiltrate the palace themselves. After they'd got Han and the droids, Leia would signal him and he would cause a distraction that should allow the others to fight their way out.

Should something go wrong, however, he will have to try and mind trick or intimidate the Hutt. Should that fail too, he would have to make him angry enough to execute them at his favorite spot at Carkoon, that's where he will actually have a chance to fight and come out on top. Hopefully, Artoo would be able to remain near.

The only question remaining was if he was skilled enough to pull it off. There were so many variables, so many things that could go wrong.

He closed his eyes and reached out with the force. The pieces levitated before him.

Better yet, could he continue to walk this path after this? Could he resist the call of the dark side? The one that had possibly ensnared his father?

The pieces aligned themselves in the correct order.

He didn't have an answer to any of this, but noone got the guarantee of survival or anything else at war. He didn't allow self-doubt to stop him before, he wasn't going to start now. He would save Han, he would find the answers he sought and he would do what he believes is right.

The pieces assembled into a lightsaber.

It was time.

The Beginning

Author's note: Wow. My second writing project is finished! I can hardly believe it. Thanks again for everyone who showed support for me be it with a favorite, a follow, a Kudos or a review. If you like that story please let me know what you thought: Likes / dislikes / things that could've been better...it will mean the world to me.


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